I turned on instinct, quietly about to keep walking. Of course Winifred had told him what happened and who did it, but how could the man recognise me so instantly? Winifred couldn’t have described me so perfectly to—
Right, my hair. That was probably why.
I stole a second glance at the stranger—salt-and-pepper hair slicked back, a harsh face etched with deep lines. I didn’t know him.
“Sanora.”
I stopped mid-step. My heart dropped to my stomach at the sound of Winifred’s voice.
Slowly, I turned around. His eyes were on me from the back seat of the car, half his body leaning out of the doorframe, pale hands gripping it for balance.
Did I think he’d looked ten years older the last time I saw him? Well, he looked twenty years older now. What was happening to him?
Before I could take a step towards him, my gaze flicked to the man by the door. His slicked hair made his contempt even sharper, and I quietly analysed the situation. Although Winifred was weak, this man looked like he was fine handling me alone if he wanted. But considering how Winifred had ended up in that wheelchair, I was half-certain he’d think twice before touching me.
I stepped forward. “Good morning,” I said to Winifred. He squinted up at me, trying to hold my gaze. Then his eyes slid to the man beside me, and after giving me another unnerving look, he excused himself and moved away.
I almost scoffed at the theatrics but pushed it down, fixing Winifred with the most serious look I could muster. “How do you feel?”
He gestured at himself, a bitter smile twisting his mouth. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re doing much better than I imagined,” I told him honestly.
A deep laugh rolled out of him. “Maybe because what you imagined was death.”
I didn’t smile. “Even if. You brought it upon yourself.”
His eyes hardened, seriousness flattening his tone. “I was only trying to keep you alive.”
“Keep me alive, how?”
He shook his head, lips parting, and I intercepted before he could form an excuse.
“I’ve been standing here for more than one minute and you still haven’t apologised for drugging me and locking me up. That was wrong.”
“Did the twins apologise?”
My head snapped back, eyes narrowing as I searched his face. Was this still the same man I’d known since I was a kid? “That’s different. I don’t know those people. They’re desperate kids, trying to follow in their ancestors’ footsteps and willing to do anything to achieve it.” I jabbed a finger at him. “But I know you. I’ve known you for a long time. And you drugged me? Now you’re excusing your action? I mean, I don’t have any problem apologising on behalf of Thrax for what he did to you—”
His face went molten. “Don’t breathe that bastard’s name anywhere near me.” His glare could have melted stone.
“Why? Tell me, Winifred. Tell me what your deal with Thrax is. Tell me why you drugged me and called it saving me. Why did you do all of that? You left here and suddenly you’re a different person. Or maybe,” I threw my hands out, “I just never knew you.”
He ignored every word. “Stay away from that monster. He’s going to destroy—”
Anger, one I’d been shoving down for days, that I’d been suppressing at the world for repeatedly labelling Thrax a monster, came bursting through me. I stepped closer, words leaving my mouth through gritted teeth. “Thrax isn’t and was never a monster. Call him that one more time and you’ll have me to face, Winifred. I warned you.”
I turned to leave, shoving my earpiece back in to calm the pounding in my head. But he spoke up before I could completely block the outside world.
“He already brainwashed you. He’s brainwashing you, Sanora. Leave him.” His tone shifted, pleading now. “I’ll take you back to your house. Away from here.”
I closed my eyes, drawing a long breath into my lungs. I needed to calm down. I couldn’t lose myself here, not to his words—words that were nothing but madness.
“If he’s brainwashing me, Winifred, I don’t mind. I’d let him brainwash me over a thousand times.”
But I knew he wasn’t. I’d seen the fragments of his past, and I knew in my bones that every word he’d spoken and written was the truth.
“I don’t know what you’re up to. But stay away from me. I’ll do the same.”
